The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants, Comprehending the most Eminent Cheats of Both Sexes: The Third PartHead, Richard
General
The English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants, Comprehending the most Eminent Cheats of Both Sexes: The Third Part
Head, Richard
Rogues and vagabonds -- England -- Fiction
One young Man and Maid living in a house where so much roguery was
acted, must needs be well enough experienc’d to act their Parts, but
they were so warily looked after by their Mother, that it was almost
impossible to exercise their Talent at home, and the young man by reason
of the danger of the War, and least he should be taken Prisoner and
served as his Father was, was enforced to keep home and ramble but
little, but his Sister less, not being permitted to go any way out of
the Town. And although many Guests who came to our house saw her, and
liked her marvellously well, (for indeed she was handsom) and would have
made love to her, yet her Mother knowing the danger by her own
experience, watch’d her too narrowly to permit it, and was resolved to
use her best endeavor to preserve the Jewel of her daughters maiden-head
until she should be lawfully married. She being kept up so strictly had
few Suiters, only one in the Town, who was a Farmers Son had a moneths
mind to her, and having read the famous History of _Tom Thumb_, and from
thence proceeding to _Fortunatus_, and then to the most admirable
History of _Dorastus_ and _Fawnia_, was infected with Poetry and Love
both at once, and absolutely believing that all he read was really true,
did with himself to be as fortunate as _Fortunatus_ himself, and since
he could not meet with that blind Lady _Fortune_ to present him with
such a Purse, he did however resolve to be as absolute a lover as
_Dorastus_; and now nothing to that accomplishment being wanting but a
Mistriss who should be his _Fawnia_, he found out our Pretty Mistress
_Peggy_ my Hostess’s Daughter (Hers I may boldly call her, but mine
Host’s I dare not, the Case being doubtful, by what I have already
related to you) a Mistress being found for our Swain, he made some
addresses to her, and was permitted by the Mother to more freedom than
any, because the youth was not only indifferent handsome, but rich, and
mine Hostess was pretty free that they should strike up a match
together; I was still desired to keep Company with these Lovers, but I
had much ado to forbear laughing outright when I heard his Courtship,
all his language was Stuff stoln out of the books he had read; and when
he was answered by Mistress _Peggy_, or any question propounded by me to
him in any ordinary or different Dialect, he was as deaf as a
Bell-founder, and was not able to answer us; I being resolved to make
sport with him, told him that I thought he would do mainly well if he
would apply his fancy to writing of Poetry, and as an essay I advised
him to write a Letter to Mistress _Peggy_ in Verse, he thanked me for my
advice, and desir’d my friend-ship and said that he would go immediately
home and exercise himself in Poetry, and so he said, and so he did, for
behold the next morning Mistress _Peggy_ received a Letter from him,
which we both read and laugh’d at, for it was so foolishly forced,
conceited, and nonsensical that have I much ado to remember the words,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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